Gov. Andrew Cuomo nixes Port Ambrose, the proposed natural gas terminal off Jones Bea

[njdiver]

Gov. Andrew Cuomo nixes Port Ambrose, the proposed natural gas terminal off Jones Beach


Updated November 12, 2015 1:29 PM
By ELLEN YAN ellen.yan@newsday.com


Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has killed a proposed natural gas transfer station off Jones Beach, ending a venture whose projected fuel cost savings had been drowned by fears of fracking, terrorism and environmental damage.

Cuomo's decision, announced early Thursday afternoon at the Long Beach Recreation Center, is not entirely unexpected because he came out last year against the controversial fracking...


http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/gov-andrew-cuomo-nixes-port-ambrose-the-proposed-natural-gas-terminal-off-jones-beach-1.11116238

[Capt Joe]

Cuomo. Tree hugging radical left-wing skankbag. :)

[NoLimit]

Its ridiculous. People need jobs more than ever and they need cheaper fuel more than ever.

[Striperswiper]

Huh?

We have the lowest unemployment rate in a decade and gas is under $2.00 what planet are you from?

I could do without fracking, ships as big as the empire state building to avoid and polluted drinking water also.

Good move on the govs part

Capt Brian

[tjd24]

Huh?

We have the lowest unemployment rate in a decade and gas is under $2.00 what planet are you from?

I could do without fracking, ships as big as the empire state building to avoid and polluted drinking water also.

Good move on the govs part

Capt Brian

x2

[bulletbob]

Cuomo. Tree hugging radical left-wing skankbag. :)

yep, I'll go along with that.. I live in NY state, 200+ miles from NYC, but his leftist agenda is hung around the neck of upstate like a millstone... Try and buy a simple semi auto rifle in NY... Took me over a year...

[Joey Dah Fish]

Huh?

We have the lowest unemployment rate in a decade and gas is under $2.00 what planet are you from?

I could do without fracking, ships as big as the empire state building to avoid and polluted drinking water also.

Good move on the govs part

Capt Brian

Capt Tree Hugger Liberal

[Striperswiper]

Even conservative Republican business owners like me hug a tree once in awhile:)

I just prefer clean water clean air lots of fish to catch over somebody making some bucks on liquid natural gas.. call me stupid

[Joey Dah Fish]

Even conservative Republican business owners like me hug a tree once in awhile:)

I just prefer clean water clean air lots of fish to catch over somebody making some bucks on liquid natural gas.. call me stupid

Well said

[shrimpman steve]

Don't get used to 2.00 gas! The minute something happens in the Mid East (which can be anytime. The price will skyrocket overnight.

No one has proven fracking is harming the environment and it can make us more energy independent. By the way, a new refinery or to can't hurt either.

PS. being for energy independence and clean water are not mutually exclusive! Don't even get me started on the keystone pipeline

[Billfish715]

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo Thursday killed a 3-year-old proposal to build amid fears it could cause an environmental catastrophe or become a terrorist target.

Okay, I'll chime in. Are we that consumed by fear? Fear of what? Environmental catastrophe? Think about all of the environmental hazards that surround the N.Y.C. area right now. Have you been up the Arthur Kill? Have you seen the tankers and freighters that use the Ambrose and Sandy Hook Channels every day? Where does the sewage from NYC/Staten Island/Long Island go now? Where does the oil and gas residue from the streets go when it is washed into the storm drains? Are there still areas that restrict the harvesting of shellfish in the NY/NJ area? How many ships were sunk during WWII off our coasts which dumped oil and other pollutants into the ocean? One of the largest airports in the country is built on wetlands and tidal estuaries. Hey, Governor, talk about that. Any kind of building or construction will have an impact on the environment. How is this any different? If we are paralyzed with fear, nothing new will ever get done. Was anyone fearful of a catastrophe when the new Freedom Tower was built? I'm sure there was a sizeable number of naysayers who would have not built it. It was built anyhow. Where are the naysayers now?

Terrorist threat? Be serious. We live in a target rich environment for terror. Do you worry every time you go to NYC or don't you go to NY because you are afraid? Why specifically are so many people afraid of a natural gas transfer station? Will it blow up? Maybe, but so can any of the oil refineries that are nearby. Will there be a spill? Maybe, but Sandy Hook and Raritan Bays recovered from the sewage spill a few years back. Life goes on and nature has miraculous powers to overcome its ills and disasters. Who talks about the nuclear power plants anymore? They're still with us and many people condemned them being built.

Will the offshore structures that are built be good for fishermen? That is what we should be asking. My opinion is that they probably will. What can they hurt? The same fear of environmental damage was present when NJ could have added a number of subway cars to its artificial reef program. The subway cars had a certain amount of asbestos, if you remember. Where are those cars now? On the bottom of the ocean off Delaware. What environmental damage have they done to that state's fishing?

Get over the fear by at least coming to grips with what your fears are and know that the people who design and plan these projects have taken those fears into account before even making a proposal. This is catering to the environmental lobby who cry the loudest and donate the most.

[Striperswiper]

Captain shrimpy
I noticed by your signature you passed your captains test congratulations

[Striperswiper]

Billfish
I grew up the block from the beach in the sixties and seventies I walked across garbage tar balls to swim in water that was brown and foaming we call that red tide
I survived earaches throat infections tar balls stuck to my feet hypodermic needles tampons on the beach

At night I got to watch the barges on fire burning all the garbage that was being dumped in the water that night

Every community along the shore had a sewer tank that they pumped into the ocean nightly

Because of tree hugging liberal is like me clean ocean action American litteral society and the Riverkeeper program all that crap stopped

If you told a 20 year old or under today that he was going to go swimming in brown water and walk across garbage to get in there he look at you like you are nuts but we did it everyday

I have already experienced that reality it is not to fear

Whole areas of shoreline were close to clamming, crabbing striped bass were full of PCBs

There will always be that ignorant a hole that uses the beach or the ocean for his personal ash tray or throws his beer can or lunch into it

Until the technology of fracking is fully vetted and their scientific proof that it will not damage the environment I'd rather not do it threre are tons of alternate energy sources that we could be using that were not because quote on quote it's too expensive

That is the same thing they said about treating sewage on land and land basing landfills rather than dumping it in the ocean

Turns out it wasn't so expensive after all and as a result we have a better quality of life

[shrimpman steve]

Captain shrimpy
I noticed by your signature you passed your captains test congratulations

Thank you striper!

[fishguy]

If not for the "tree huggers" none of you conservative right wing idiots would have any fish to catch. How soon you forget the gains that were made by those so called liberals you piss on today. The Hudson /Raritan areas would be festering cesspools of toxic filth right now if not for them. Get a grip!

[shrimpman steve]

Fish guy
I notice you resort right to insults and name calling. That does not help your argument. Just makes you look like an ideologue.

[Capt. Debbie]

Not sure what fracking had to do with liquefied Natural gas.

It's simply and unloading station offshore. It's not oil. Its frozen gas. Duh!! How does that pollute? Dirty bubbles if it leaks.

Cuomo exploits people's ignorance on these topics. Likening to fracking is an example. They have absolutely nothing to do with each other. But are from the evil empire for blow hard politicians like spoiled brat Andy to rail against.

The economy is booming? Many lost good jobs for junk jobs or no jobs and their benefits expired. Nice to have a job, but you're not the only one who needs a job. NAFTA.. jobs to Mexico and the exodus to cheaply made and inferior/toxic materials used in Chinese manufactured sh*t we are forced to buy now.

We have less jobs now, and the used to be junk jobs now want $15 an hour for flipping burgers because that's now a career. Look around you're missing a lot.

Hello... why do you think the Prime lending rate is frozen by the Fed so long. Because the national economy is not stable enough to absorb more interest expenses to grow.

Low gas prices are simply the whim of some clowns in the middle east. Sure its great to have cheaper gas. But no one is foolish enough to rely on that staying to build business with or mean much for very long.

NEXT NUCLEAR POWER.



Don't get used to 2.00 gas! The minute something happens in the Mid East (which can be anytime. The price will skyrocket overnight.

No one has proven fracking is harming the environment and it can make us more energy independent. By the way, a new refinery or to can't hurt either.

PS. being for energy independence and clean water are not mutually exclusive! Don't even get me started on the keystone pipeline

[Capt. Debbie]

Check some facts first before getting a grip. The federal EPA was created by Nixon a Republican. Nixon's EPA created the air and water pollution laws.

And if logic fails and you lack supporting facts, call them names in desperation.



If not for the "tree huggers" none of you conservative right wing idiots would have any fish to catch. How soon you forget the gains that were made by those so called liberals you piss on today. The Hudson /Raritan areas would be festering cesspools of toxic filth right now if not for them. Get a grip!

[bulletbob]

Infrastucture in the ocean could be VERY good for fishing if there is access provided... Ask the rig fishermen of the Gulf if they want those dirty, filthy, toxic rigs removed, and the pristine nature of the Gulf surface reestablished for future generations... See what kind of reactions you get... bob

[shrimpman steve]

Capt frank, just to be clear, I agree with you.

Let's not forget the lowest unemployment rate in years is due to the people who just decided to drop out of the workforce. The numbers are horribly manipulated by the current administration. Also the economic growth has barley been one percent a year. Sluggish to say the least

[Quanman]

Gas might be cheaper now, but it's not as cheap as it should be as compared to the price of oil.

[NoLimit]

Not sure what fracking had to do with liquefied Natural gas.

It's simply and unloading station offshore. It's not oil. Its frozen gas. Duh!! How does that pollute? Dirty bubbles if it leaks.

Cuomo exploits people's ignorance on these topics. Likening to fracking is an example. They have absolutely nothing to do with each other. But are from the evil empire for blow hard politicians like spoiled brat Andy to rail against.

The economy is booming? Many lost good jobs for junk jobs or no jobs and their benefits expired. Nice to have a job, but you're not the only one who needs a job. NAFTA.. jobs to Mexico and the exodus to cheaply made and inferior/toxic materials used in Chinese manufactured sh*t we are forced to buy now.

We have less jobs now, and the used to be junk jobs now want $15 an hour for flipping burgers because that's now a career. Look around you're missing a lot.

Hello... why do you think the Prime lending rate is frozen by the Fed so long. Because the national economy is not stable enough to absorb more interest expenses to grow.

Low gas prices are simply the whim of some clowns in the middle east. Sure its great to have cheaper gas. But no one is foolish enough to rely on that staying to build business with or mean much for very long.

NEXT NUCLEAR POWER.

.....................................

Dont confuse them with facts.

PS, I got a bushel of greenies for anyone that can come up with a single case where fracking fluid has harmed anyone or anything. All these flaming faucets are because people sunk their water wells into a shallow pocket of gas. In parts of Pa and NY, gas has been bubbling up through the water for eons and in Potter county, there are plenty of homes that tap off the gas in their water well and use it for fuel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvs9gdetOfM

PPS, Does anyone really believe unemployment is at a good level? I remember when families survived on one income, they had plenty of time and money for vacation, and mom stayed at home raising big families and dads took everyone hunting and fishing on weekends.

[NoLimit]

Huh?

We have the lowest unemployment rate in a decade and gas is under $2.00 what planet are you from?

I could do without fracking, ships as big as the empire state building to avoid and polluted drinking water also.

Good move on the govs part

Capt Brian

Capt,

No offense but where do you think that $2.00 gas and $2.50 fuel oil comes from? It comes from fracking in Texas, Pa, Ohio, and other states. The US is now producing more than Saudi Arabia thanks to fracking (which Cuomo has also banned).

Also, there is not one case where fracking has contaminated anyone or anything. The reason they have to frack is because the formation is so sealed that the gas has been stuck there for millions of years. Anything that happens a mile under gas tight rock is not going to get to the surface to cause any harm. Plus fracking fluid is 99.7% water and sand. The rest is stuff found under any kitchen sink of cosmetic counter.

This anti fracking movement out of the northeast is Kremlin inspired propaganda that the left is passing on as truth.

[shrimpman steve]

Facts are stubborn things!

Some People on the FAR left just don't want to argue using facts, they argue with misplaced emotion and, too be polite, a lack of knowledge.

[Billfish715]

If not for the "tree huggers" none of you conservative right wing idiots would have any fish to catch. How soon you forget the gains that were made by those so called liberals you piss on today. The Hudson /Raritan areas would be festering cesspools of toxic filth right now if not for them. Get a grip!

It is counterproductive and divisive to name call and resort to generalizations. I'm not sure how far back in time your experiences will take you but we didn't get here today without someone taking a risk or two. Mistakes are always made and improvements are made as a result of those mistakes. Environmentally, mistakes have been made in the past but each time, the environment shows us just how resilient it is. Look back at the Exxon Valdez or BP oil spills. Albeit years, the areas have and are recovering. In our area, human waste used to be pumped into the ocean just yards off the swimming beaches, garbage and timbers used to be burned a few miles offshore, acids were dumped into the sea in an area that was and is (on some charts) called the Acid Grounds. Our waters are never going to be pristine but they will never be as bad as they once were. That's not because of any one political party or another. It's because many people with similar interests and sometimes opposing political viewpoints shared common goals.

As fishermen, we have to look at whether a project like the natural gas transfer station will benefit our interests. I don't think that was included in the Governor's decision. The environmental lobbyists were able to instill fear in the minds of the politicians who were unwilling to upset their financial supporters and now have to sit and wait for more rational heads to prevail.

This transfer station has nothing to do with fracking. Don't you think the designers of the program looked into the environmental impacts of the project? Don't you think each step of it will be scrutinized every step of the way? Are you opposed to offshore wind farms too?

Name calling and generalized biases will never win your argument. As fishermen, we should be looking out for one another's interests as they pertain to fishing. Healthy debates based on facts and compromise are the only way to go. Do you agree? We'd love to hear your response or will you just go back a?

[Fishguts]

Wow seems to be a real wealth of knowledge on this subject . Thanks for sharing all the facts with all those non informed people. I am curious why there is no mention of Gov Chrities veto on the proposed LNG facility in 2011 and not a signal comment on Atlantic Sea Island Group? Funny Capt TB was very vocal in his opposition to the Sea Island project and I don't recall any post calling him a tree hugger. Thanks again for sharing the facts and helping to keep us informed

[NoLimit]

If not for the "tree huggers" none of you conservative right wing idiots would have any fish to catch. How soon you forget the gains that were made by those so called liberals you piss on today. The Hudson /Raritan areas would be festering cesspools of toxic filth right now if not for them. Get a grip!

I have been fishing "the Hudson and Raritan" areas since the 50's. It never was a "cesspool" and as far as "toxic filth", none of the old timers I knew back then died from eating the sacks full of fluke they caught. I suppose someone with a white coat and a test tube came up with some numbers on how the rivers were "contaminated" with metals and other inorganics back then. That was probably true but there has never been any proof that people actually suffered from it.

At the worst, there were some cases in the 50's and 60's where raw sewage from the growing lagoon communities in the bays were contaminating shell fish with bacteria and a few people got sick but that was a matter of treatment plant capacity catching up with demand.

As best as I can see, this anti-everything hysteria by academia, the press, and politicians of all persuasions is unfounded. It has only hurt the area citizens by driving out industry that once provided great jobs.

[Billfish715]

The Safe Harbor Deepwater Natural Gas Transfer Station was nixed through the pressures of environmental lobbyists on a new governor with higher political aspirations. The vote came up at a time when the Deep Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf was front page news. The topic of anything involving oil (but in this case natural gas which is not the same) was toxic to anyone suggesting their support for such projects. There couldn't be any dialogue amid the fear mongering being spread by the opponents to the transfer station and so, it was dropped.

How would this have destroyed the environment? Would it have destroyed or improved the fishing environment?

Since this is a fishing board, these discussions should involve debate or conjecture about how a 60.5 acre man-made island 19 miles off the Highlands, N.J. would affect our fishery. It should not involve insults, divisiveness or sarcasm.

We have atomic powered submarines and aircraft carriers but, until someone figures out how to viably run a boat, or plane, rocket or racecar with anything other than gas, diesel, or oil, I'm all for using the resources we have at hand.

[njdiver]

A quote from the 2015 Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan:

Natural Gas Pipelines

The Neptune and Northeast Gateway LNG pipelines were used minimally since 2009 as ship-delivered natural gas markets were more lucrative outside of the United States. On July 24, 2012, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration approved a request from Neptune LNG LLC to amend its federal Deepwater Port License to include a five-year temporary suspension of port operations. Neptune’s request indicated that recent conditions within the Northeast region’s natural gas market had significantly impacted the Neptune Port’s operational status and its ability to receive a consistent supply of natural gas imports. As a result, the Neptune Port has remained inactive over the past several years and will likely remain inactive for the foreseeable future. The suspension period became effective on June 26, 2013, and will extend for a period of five years.

The Northeast Gateway Deepwater Port opened in 2009 and remains open. There were six visits to the port by specialized Energy Bridge Regasification Vessels (EBRV) between February 2008 and December 2009. There was no natural gas delivery on the first visit in February 2008 (it was strictly a commissioning event), there was a 33% cargo delivery in May 2008, a full cargo delivery that began in January 2009 and was not completed until May 2009 due to a methane hydrate blockage, a < 5% cargo delivery in November 2009, a full cargo delivery in December 2009, and a second delivery in December 2009 that was not successful because of an equipment malfunction.

http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/eea/oceans/ocean-plan/2015-ocean-plan-v2-complete.pdf


Another interesting article, please note the quote from the Director of communications:

February 9, 2015
By PennEnergy Editorial Staff

Excelerate Energy has begun to use one of its idled ports again this January, according to the Gloucester Times.

The Northeast Gateway Deepwater Port, located 13 miles south of Gloucester, Massachusetts, opened in 2008 when natural gas prices were high, The Boston Globe reported. Though it was a $350 million investment, it was then shut down in 2010 as natural gas prices fell and the use of the facility was no longer economically beneficial to Excelerate. However, the company did not entirely decommission the facility.

While the company has not announced long-term plans for the port, it used the location to unload natural gas into the Algonquin Gas Transmission pipeline from a Floating Storage Regassifaction Unit vessel.

If market conditions improve, Excelerate may begin to use the port more often.

"Excelerate Energy would make more deliveries if market conditions are favorable," said Excelerate Director of Communications Denise Madera, in an email to the Gloucester Times. "We maintain [it] in a state of readiness so that deliveries can be made if market conditions warrant."

http://www.pennenergy.com/articles/pennenergy/2015/02/refining-and-processing-excelerate-energy-begins-using-idle-port-in-massachusetts.html

[fishguy]

Ummm, a bunch of you guys have reprimanded me for insults. "Idiot" is pretty tame as far as insults go but HELLOOOOO!!! The initial post was insulting!

Nobody in this thread used "tree hugger" in a complimentary way, did they?


Indeed, the GOP Nixon administration made great strides forward with protecting our environment. That same GOP today seeks to weaken those very laws. Just ask the Koch brothers.

Raw sewerage goes into our waters anytime we get substantial rainfall and NYC pumped untreated sewerage directly into the Hudson as recently as the late 90's. You read that right. Raw poo poo went straight into the river less than 20 years ago.
Remember the Dutch Boy paint factory in the Raritan? There was a reason all that industry was by the rivers and that was easy dumping. To say the area waters wouldn't be that bad without regulations, laws and cleanup is madness.
I'm trying to say that if you like fishing around here a very substantial part of your favorite past time is thanks to those "tree huggers" you now disparage.
To me, calling someone who thinks that way an "idiot" is being polite.

[fishguy]

"That was probably true but there has never been any proof that people actually suffered from it."

That statement is just totally incorrect.
There are mountains of scientific data about how harmful lead, mercury, PCB's etc are really terrible for people and everything else. There's a reason there is no lead in paint, for example.

If you remember back to the fifties then surely you can recall a time when the osprey and many other bird species were conspicuously absent. Hell, our National Mascot, the bald eagle, was nearly wiped out by PCB's. We stopped using them and they recovered.

[shrimpman steve]

I think it was ddt from pesticides that affected the birds. It weakened their eggshells. Not good but another subject.

I think the problem some of us have with militant environmentalists (I use this term in place of tree huggers) is that if they had their way, they would shut down fishing period. Look at the west coast closures.